


Sirius’s First Night at Hogwarts

by Quijotita



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Hogwarts Express, Hogwarts First Year, M/M, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:14:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29049723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quijotita/pseuds/Quijotita
Summary: Remus sits with three posh boys at the Hogwarts Express, one of them a wealthy heir of a pureblood family with generations in Slytherin. When Sirius gets sorted in Gryffindor, he realizes he might have a little more in common with Remus than he noticed at first sight.
Relationships: Sirius Black & Remus Lupin, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	1. Hogwarts Express

The train was busting with kids of all ages, laughing and greeting each other as if they had not seen their friends in decades. Remus was not really a people-person, and he was extremely nervous to be surrounded by people he had never seen in his life, stuck in a huge castle, for a whole year. Well, if it was as huge as he had read it was, maybe he would be able to find one or two spots to hide whenever he was feeling overwhelmed. He would need to find this place rather sooner than later, since the full moon was in two weeks and he would need a place to be when _it_ happened. His father had assured him the matter was being taken care of, that he had nothing to worry about. Whatever in the world did that mean? Of course he had something to worry about, he was a fricking werewolf! Remus sighed in frustration and took a book out of his bag: _Hogwarts: A History_ by Bathilda Bagshot. Maybe in that huge book (that he was already halfway through) he would find something about places to hide, or werewolves who had studied there before, or…

“Hey there, little fellow!” A boy that seemed to double Remus’s size interrupted his thoughts. “I see that you have already started an awesome book. I might see you at my common room later tonight, huh?”

“I-I don’t know. Maybe.” Remus noticed the boy was already on his school uniform, wearing proudly the colors blue and bronze, as well as a badge with a _P_ on it. “My father was in Ravenclaw.”

“Hopefully you will, too.” He answered with a kind smile. “What is your name?”

“Remus Lupin…”

“Nice to meet you, Remus. My name is Gilbert. Hey, so, listen… We always have a prefect meeting when we are on our way to Hogwarts, and this is actually where it would be happening. Maybe I can help you find another compartment?”

Remus looked around at the guys and girls who were sitting there. Everyone was looking at him as they wore a similar badge. He was extremely embarrassed, so he just nodded and stood up, not saying anything. Remus simply followed Gilbert, who was looking into each partition looking for a place where his little friend could sit. Remus noticed how they skipped two or three seats he could have perfectly occupied, and he was about to point it out when Gilbert poked his head into a compartment, who already had two boys who looked like they were first-years, too.

“Hey, guys!” The prefect saluted them as if they were pals since forever. He placed his hand in Remus’s shoulder. “My friend Remus here is looking for somewhere to sit. Could he join you? I see you have plenty space.”

Remus felt his cheeks getting hotter. He looked away when the two boys smiled at him. One had olive skin and huge round glasses, and the other had long, black, wavy hair.

“Sure thing!” The boy with the glasses stood up and offered his seat next to the other one. “Nice to meet you, Remus.”

“Thank you. I hope everyone here would be as cool as you are!” Gilbert said and rushed out, he looked like he was late somewhere. The two boys smiled arrogantly for the compliment.

“My name is Sirius, and he is James.” The boy with the long hair said. His voice sounded as if he was trying to be hot shit, Remus thought.

“Remus.” He mumbled.

“Well, don’t just stand there, _Re-mus_.” Sirius copied this mumbling, making fun of him. “Sit.”

Remus obeyed, eyes still on the ground and his book under his arm. He opened it and kept reading as James and Sirius chatted about all the things they had in common. They liked Quidditch, they liked wizard rock, and they both came from extremely wealthy families. _Potter_ and _Black_. Remus already knew these kids were going to be the most popular kids of their grade.

“Reading so early?” Sirius teased. Why wouldn’t he leave him alone at once? “Maybe we have a Ravenclaw here, Potter.”

“Well, we might just be missing a Hufflepuff, then.” James said, trying to read the title of the book Remus was reading.

“Do you already know what houses would you be sorted in?” Remus frowned. He knew it was not how it worked.

“My family has been in Slytherin for centuries, and James is obviously a Gryffindor. Mom would kill me if she knew I am fraternizing with the rabble.” Remus noted a posh and high-class accent.

“Hey!” James stood up and pushed him, jokingly, and Sirius pushed him back as they begun wrestling amongst laughter. At least he could read in peace if they were distracted.

In his book, he found nothing explicit about places to hide. He felt a little disappointed, but he could still explore and try to find them. Maybe could write _Hogwarts: A History Part 2_ including them. The Hogwarts Express kept going through green fjords; London was too far away to go back now. A lady rang a bell outside, chanting “Candy! Candy! Honeydukes’ Candy!” and James ran to catch her, as if she was going to go anywhere else.

“Is it any good?” The black-haired boy looked over his shoulder to see what he was reading. Remus looked at him awkwardly, feeling his space invaded. “Oh, dear. What happened to you?”

Remus felt his heart beginning to sink at the question. Before riding the Hogwarts Express, he had actually gone as far as asking his mother for some makeup to hide at least the scars he had on his face. She had refused, saying he was a beautiful boy who did not need to hide who he was. _Unless you were, of course, a werewolf,_ he thought to himself. Even if Sirius couldn’t see them, he had actually scars all over his arms, legs and torso, too. Remus closed his book bluntly, grabbed his bag and stood up with full intention of leaving the compartment with his face pointing his feet, but James came in as soon as he tried sliding the door. He entered with another boy.

“Look who I found!” He presented him. “Our missing Hufflepuff!”

The boy was blond, chubby and sweaty, but wore an excited smile on his face. He was about his own size; Remus was a little shorter than average, and came in hugging James with one arm.

“Hi!” He waved. “My name is Peter. I’m actually James’s neighbor!”

“Hi Peter, I’m Sirius and this huge nerd is Remus. Wow, do you live in a wizard community or something like that? As far as I know there’s not another wizard family anywhere near my house.”

“You could say that, year.” Potter showed the Cauldron Cakes he had bought from the trolly. “I got one for each, as well as a Chocolate Frog.” He handed one of each to the boys. Remus hesitated, but he was glad someone had bought him chocolate. He sat again next to Sirius, but this time a little more far away.

“So,” Sirius said, taking the pastries and nodding Potter, thanking him. “Do you all come from Wizard families then?”

“Yeah,” Remus said, biting the head off his frog. “I’m a half-blood.”

“Is that so?” Remus rolled his eyes, knowing Sirius was about to shame him. What more could you expect from a _Black_? “Are you in touch with muggles, then? Are you allowed to read muggle comics and listen to muggle music?”

“Uhm, yes…” That was not the answer Remus expected. “Are you guys… not?”

“I am,” Peter did not bother to swallow his Cauldron Cake before speaking. “James too.”

“Yeah, but I don’t listen to muggle music much.”

Sirius parted his lips, surprised, but then closed his mouth and decided not to say anything about how in his house, never in a million years he would be able to do any of those things. Maybe with a half-blood friend he could, but Remus seemed weird and he doubted he would find _that_ kind of people at Slytherin, where he was obviously going to be placed at.

It started getting darker outside after a while. Remus knew they were close, and he confirmed it when a blond girl with big, curly hair asked them to put on their uniforms. She must have been another prefect.

“Er- “Remus stood up and started speaking when she was about to go on with her duties. “Is there anywhere I could… change?”

“Oh, sorry.” The girl responded. “The train’s full at the moment, maybe I can look around and see if there’s an empty compartment or ask someone if they could- “

“It’s okay, Remus,” James said, softly. “We’re not gonna look, right?”

“Right.” Peter agreed and Sirius nodded.

“Do you still need that empty compartment, buddy?” The girl looked at him with eyes that reflected pity. Remus felt embarrassed.

“Yeah, sure. I guess it is okay. Whatever.”

The blonde smiled and left. The three kids stood up with Remus and their uniforms were carefully folded below their seats. Wasn’t magic amazing? They all started changing, but Remus made sure no one was peaking before he took his clothes off. As soon as he let his guard down, Sirius slowly turned his head around at him with curiosity, looking at the red marks Remus had in his back and arms. He felt a knot on his stomach that was probably empathy and he knew he should not have looked.


	2. The Sorting Ceremony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus is glad to be sorted into Gryffindor, but Sirius is in shock.

The four kids followed the huge man to an enormous lake with boats at the lakeside, just big enough for four passengers, and Hagrid asked them to ride them to the castle. Remus was astonished when, getting into the boat with Peter, Sirius and James, he realized the castle was five times bigger than he had imagined. The other boys noticed it as well, and Peter let out a huge gasp he was certain he had swallowed a couple fireflies.

Following Hagrid’s instructions, they arrived to the other side. Even if the sky was not blue anymore, the inside of the castle was enough to light up the most beautiful and green grass he had ever seen under his feet. He also noticed a small cabin some meters from the school; he wondered if there was where they were going to look him up every month. He shook that thought away by actually shaking his head. He was at Hogwarts; it was not the time to feel pity for himself. He was at his father’s school, and his grandparents’ school, and his great grandparents’ and those before them, where they had learned everything they knew. “Good wizards guess, great wizards wait”, his father said every time he had the chance, so he might as well take that advice now.

“Professor McGonagall will lead you to the insides of the castle.” Hagrid said as they were at the doorstep, in front of two massive close doors that were the entrance to his new life. “Good luck!”

And Hagrid walked away, leaving a handful of first years confused on what to do.

“I guess we should wait.” A redhead girl said in a high-pitched voice, directing her body at a tall and scrawny boy. She sounded disappointed.

“Why don’t we just, I don’t know, get in?” James asked to the girl, sarcastically.

“Since apparently you _don’t_ know,” She crossed her arms, looking at him up and down. “Hogwarts’s doors can only be opened with magic. It is a simple but powerful Security Spell.” Remus got surprised that someone else had read _Hogwarts: A History._

“Are you not a witch, then?” Sirius intervened. “Because _I_ am a wizard, and I am sure _I_ can open that door.”

“Oh, I’d love to see you try, Mr. Black.” The cat that was next to the steps that Remus had not seen before transformed into a person, a witch, causing Sirius and a couple of other students to jump and gasp. “Good evening, ladies and gentleman,” She projected her voice to everyone in a thick Scottish accent. “and be welcomed to Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” The redhead squealed with anticipation. “My name is Professor Minerva McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House, which you will get to know more about in a minute. Follow me, please.”

And with a flick of her wand, the doors were open, revealing the mesmerizing view of the insides of the castle. As they walked in, easily a hundred moving paintings greeted them, and some new students greeted back.

“Behind these doors, the Great Hall is found. Here, you will have your Sorting Ceremony, where you will be sorted in one of the four great Hogwarts Houses: Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. Are you ready?”

In a matter of minutes, they were all in the middle of the grand room, in between four long tables: two at the right and two at the left. He identified the colors and the symbols of each house, which was shown in banners above the tables. Remus met Gilbert’s eyes, who was standing up at the end of the Ravenclaw table, and Gilbert waved at him. There was another table at the front of the room, where Remus assumed the teachers were sitting, and he recognized an old man in bright robes and a long, white beard. In the middle of them and the new students was a wooden stool and an old hat talking, which started singing a happy song describing every house. Of course, he knew this information already.

“When I call your name, please approach the stool.” McGonagall cleared her throat. “Sirius Black.”

And the boy who Remus was sharing a compartment with strutted as he owned the castle to the front of the room. He sat and wore the hat, and Remus looked at him with curiosity when Sirius’s face turned pale.

 _The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black…_ The Sorting Hat said, but only Sirius was able to listen. _How does that good old saying go, child?_

 _“Toujours Pur.”_ Sirius whispered.

_But you could not care less about purity, Sirius Black. You dare to defy your family’s name and their beliefs. A reckless heart sure lives right here, young Black… The one and only option for you is of course…_

“GRYFFINDOR!” The Sorting Hat roared and a confused silence could be heard in all the Great Hall.

After two seconds, the Gryffindor table roared echoing the Hat. The haughty smirk Sirius had before entering the castle had faded, and he waddled to his place with the scarlet and gold colors. Black seemed shocked, and sat ignoring the congratulations and good wishes of his fellow Gryffindors, looking directly at the Slytherin table who had been dead silent ever since his name was mentioned.

“Lily Evans.”

The red-headed girl skipped to the stool and the Hat sent her to Gryffindor, as well, and she sat next to Sirius, utterly ignoring him. Then Hufflepuff, then Slytherin, then Hufflepuff again, then Ravenclaw…

“Remus Lupin.”

He sighed nervously and walked to the stool, sitting and almost falling from it. McGonagall had to grab his arms to help his keep his balance. The Sorting Hat got placed on top of his head and he felt his mind being rummaged on.

_Your quick-wit is remarkable, Remus Lupin. You have a thirst for learning that I have seen in very few people who do not belong in Ravenclaw. You would find your own kind among eagles, but something tells me that your own kind is not what you need._

_You have a creative mind, yet your courage is greater, greater than all these traits combined. I can sense your willpower, your audacity, and the things you will see and the things you will do will be more suiting in…_

“GRYFFINDOR!”

And the table roared again. Remus smiled big at everything the Sorting Hat had said about him, no one have thought that way before. He ran to the Gryffindor table, where an athletic prefect congratulated him and the girl with the red hair saluted him. After the rest were sorted, Peter and James also got in Gryffindor, they all had an exquisite banquet. Sirius, who was talking nonstop back at the Hogwarts express, did not utter a word all supper.


	3. The Dorm Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius and Remus have their first late-night talk.

As Remus had already expected, him and the three boys were dormmates back in the Gryffindor Tower. He was glad, honestly, because he did not have to meet any more people. At least for that night. The first years were asked to go directly to their rooms, where they found four beds with scarlet curtains and gold duvets. Their trunks were already waiting for them in front of their assigned beds. No one seemed to have a problem with this arrangement. Remus’s bed was next to a small window, which he thanked in silence, and sat in it without believing he was a Gryffindor.

“I can’t believe we all made it!” Peter cried “I was terrified the Hat would send me to Slytherin! N-No offense, Sirius.”

Sirius, who had been awfully quiet, looked at Peter with a quivering lip and stormed into their shared bathroom.

“He’ll get over it.” James said confidently, getting his wand out of his trunk. “He will realize he is in the best house with the best roommates he could wish for, and he’ll come around. Do you like Quidditch, Remmie?”

“Don’t call me Remmie.” Remus flinched. “Just… Call me Remus, or Lupin. Just that.”

“Sorry, Remus.” James shrugged at Peter and they both starting playing around with their wands while Remus looked for his pajamas.

Hours passed and his roommates fell asleep with their beds completely done and on their school uniforms. He could not sleep; he was still waiting for someone who explained him how things were going to be at the full moon. He was also a little bit worried about Sirius, who had taken his sorting rather roughly, and was still locked up in the bathroom. When he finally got out, Remus straightened his back and glanced at his silhouette, noticing he was wiping his tears away with his sleeves. He said nothing at first, he just looked at him while he undid his bed and looked away when he changed into his sleeping clothes.

Sirius’s bed was at his right, just about 5 feet from his, and he watched him get into his bed. He was still crying. Still sitting down, he was unsure if he should try to comfort him. He wasn’t used on relying on anyone himself when he was feeling down, but he admitted he would appreciate it if someone looked after him.

“Sirius…”

“Shut up.” He interrupted, in a broken and weak voice. He felt slightly offended.

“You do not even know what I was going to say!” He whispered, frowning.

“You were going to make fun of me, probably.”

“No… I just, I just wanted to talk! To see if you needed anything, but I see you are perfectly fine, so sorry to bother you.” He said sarcastically as he laid on his bed, turning his back on Sirius and closing his eyes hard.

What was he expecting? He had just met him and he was already getting his noses all over his business. That was why he did not have friends; he never knew how to shut up. But it was not all Remus’s fault, anyway. He was just being nice. Sirius was the one being the asshole. And he had to share a room with that asshole for seven years. How great.

He felt the right side of his bed sinking, and he quickly turned around and saw Sirius sitting at his bed. He felt invaded by him again, but he was also expectant to see what did the boy have to say.

“I’m sorry, I’m not used to it…” He was fidgeting with his fingers. He noticed his nails were eaten. “Crying in front of someone.”

“But I can’t even see you, so there’s nothing to worry about.” He responded, with a white lie, sitting with his legs folded. He could actually see very well in the dark once he got used to it, and he could see his eyes swollen. Sirius smiled with his lips.

“I guess not…”

“So, do you feel like talking?”

“Yeah, it’s just… I don’t want them to listen.”

Remus nodded and he stood on his bed to close the curtains. Sirius did the same with the other side and they sat again. The bed with the curtains closed was very cozy, very private. Remus could get used to that.

“A thousand years…” Sirius sighed. “A thousand years of Slytherins, and I step into the castle and ruin everything! My mother said this would happen… That I would shame the Black name as soon as I entered school, and I did.”

“But it wasn’t your fault! Besides, it’s not that big of a deal…”

“For my family, it is…” Sirius muttered, watching his own fingers. “I know you get it… They are also hard on me, too.”

The last statement took Remus by surprise. What did he mean that he got it? Sure, his parents were strict, but it was just with his bed schedule and the days he could go to the park. Besides, he never mentioned his parents to Sirius, they did not even have twenty-four hours knowing each other.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m… I’m sorry… I am an awful friend already…” Sirius covered his face with his hands. “I saw your scars on the train, but it’s okay!” He urged, grabbing Lupin’s arms. “I have the same.”

The boy started taking his shirt off, but Remus felt like he was about to cry. Indeed, not even twenty-four hours and Sirius had already betrayed his trust. He felt exposed, dreadful. What was he doing comforting this guy who clearly did not know how to even be a decent person? Sirius made his shirt aside, but Remus did not look. _I have the same,_ he had said. He was sure he did not. He was sure that a rich, posh boy was not a werewolf. He was sure that this pompous and selfish boy had never suffered what he had.

“Please, look…” Sirius pleaded, looking down and taking his hair out of his back.

Remus shook his head, refusing angrily, about to tell him to get the hell out of his bed. But then he felt his cold hand on his wrist, pulling a little for his attention. Remus sighed and looked at him, his brown eyes meeting Sirius’s, which were a combination of blue and dark grey, like clouds filled with water before a stormy night. Sirius directed Remus’s hand towards his shoulder, and then showed him his back. He was, too, indeed, filled with horrendous scars that could be as deep as his own. Remus gasped and touched Sirius’s back and every bump the scars had left. Remus knew now how people felt when they saw his face.

“What happened…?”

“Whip spells… Whenever I do something my family considers wrong, I get a whip.”

“That’s awful, Sirius…”

“What they do to you is awful, too…” He said, putting his shirt back on. “I mean, in your face? That’s straight-up cruel…”

Remus did not know what to say, so he just nodded. “Is that why you were crying? Because you don’t want to be whipped for getting into Gryffindor?”

“Kind of… I am also scared I don’t belong here. Dang, even my trunk has a snake engraved! I’m so sick of being different, Re… I just want to be like them.”

 _Re._ He liked the way that sounded. _Re._

“You are just fine.” He smiled tenderly, giving him a pat in the arm. “Believe me, you don’t want to be like them. Why don’t you just… be you, and see where that takes you? You would not be special if you were like the rest of them.”

“Do you think I’m special?” Sirius looked at him, shyly, and smiled. The smile was not arrogant like in the train, it was real, and it was very pretty. Sirius Black had a pretty smile.

“Yeah.” Remus smiled back, and he could not explain why he was getting a little nervous to make that compliment. “You are special.”

Sirius threw himself at Remus’s arms, giving him a big hug. Remus gasped and blushed hard, returning the hug. No one had ever given Remus a hug, besides his mother, and it felt warm and fuzzy. Black was so touch-starved that he did not release himself from the hug, holding his new friend tight. The only thing he knew before was his family. He only knew how to make sarcastic comments, how to smirk, how to be treated like a prince. No one had ever told him he was special, except this boy whom he had met by mere coincidence in the train, and had more in common that they would imagine.

“Thank you.” Sirius kept hugging him.

“Thank you…” Remus responded, forgetting everything he had thought before about this boy.


End file.
